Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Tenchi characters, for they belong to
Pioneer and AIC. I have no part in their making, I'm just the lowly fanfic
writer.  And because of that, I don't have any extra 'Sue me' cash to give
you, so don't bother.  I do own some of the characters in this story, and if
this is the same storyline as anyone else's then it's comepletely
coincidental. Sorry.
So in short terms "Do not sue"

Notes: Okay this has Mayuka in it, so you can guess it was after the whole
Yazuha thing.
What else did I have to tell you, oh yeah...
WARNING: This is a somewhat dark fic. So if you are a happy go lucky person,
then I guess the ending will certainly change that little attitude, and if
you don't want that to happen, then I advise that you leave.  This is based
on a dream that I had, so if anything about this story sucks, then blame my
dream. Well on with the fic.

Prologue:

        Mayuka crept into Ryoko's room, which hasn't been used for awhile
now.  She
shined her flash light to her destination, and approached it.  She came
across a night stand and opened the drawer to look for something, and after
finding it, she sat down on the bed.  What she was holding was a old book,
with a fancy English R on the cover, and it was tied closed by silk ribbon.
Mayuka was told to stay away from this room and away from that drawer.  She
had disobeyed once, and found the book nesting inside, wrapped in a silk
cloth.  She traced the R with her index finger, and touched the ribbon.  She
was told that this book contained things that no one should ever read, since
no one was supposed to read anyone else's journal at all.  Mayuka was about
to untie the ribbon, until Tenchi walked in.
"Mayuka what are you doing?"  He saw the book and his eyes went wide before
taking the book away from her.
"Mayuka, you were told not to come in here, and not to go near that drawer."
  He sat down with the book and was going to wrap it up again.
"But daddy, why can't I look at it?  I know she won't mind, I may not know
much about her, but I'm sure she won't mind if we read it."  Mayuka looked
at her father with her yellow eyes pleadingly.
"Mayuka, everyone swore that no matter what, we were not going to read
Ryoko's journal."
Mayuka looked down at her feet, she wanted to know more about the ex pirate.
"Daddy, please.  I have a feeling that we are supposed to read it.  I can't
describe the feeling, but I think it's calling to me to open the book."
Tenchi stared at the book.  He felt the same way.  Ever since Mayuka turned
16, they felt something, like an urging, to open something.  It was the same
feeling he had the day he released Ryoko from the cave.  He sighed and
looked at his daughter.
"Ok, tomorrow, I will gather everyone around and we will read what Ryoko
wrote in her journal."  Mayuka smiled at her father.  She gave him a kiss on
the cheek, then went to bed.  Tenchi sighed before placing the now wrapped
book into the drawer.
"Sleep well Ryoko," he whispered, then closing the door to her room.

        Everyone was gathered into the living room while Tenchi handed Washu
the
journal.
"Washu, since you are her mother, please have the honor of unwrapping it."
Washu hugged the book to her chest then slowly unwrapping it.  After it was
unwrapped, she untied the ribbon then she slowly opened it.  Everyone read
what Ryoko had recorded on the inside cover.
Freed from 700 year imprisonment by Tenchi Masaki- August 12, 1997
Met Ayeka and Sasami aboard Ryu-oh-August 12, 1997
Met Mihoshi-August 20, 1997
Met Washu, my mother, aboard the Soja- August 21, 1997

They read all the happenings that happened from the beginning till they got
to the most important date she recorded
Met Mayuka as 16 year old- Startica Star Festival, 1998
Mayuka returned to us as an infant- Startica Star Festival, 1998

Mayuka was told of what happened so she understood all the dates.  They read
till they got to the date when Ryoko had her journal returned to her.  Ryoko
always had a journal, but she hid it from Kagato, and she left it with
someone she knew on some planet. On the inside of the cover at the back of
the journal, was records of Mayuka's firsts, and small notes about them.
Eveyone smiled since Ryoko was there for all of her firsts.  As a matter of
fact, Ryoko was always there for Mayuka more than anyone else.  They decided
to read the journal from when Ryoko had gotten it back

March 13, 1999
        I had finally retained my journal.  I had only gotten it a year
before Yosho locked me up in that damned cave, though I can't blame him too
much.  If he didn't lock me up, I would still have been destroying planets,
and other galaxies.  And if it wasn't for Yosho imprisoning me, I would
never have met Tenchi or the others.  I first saw Tenchi when he was a baby,
riding on his mother's back.  I had managed to project my astral form and
walk only a certain distance outside, which is just towards the boulder near
the entrance of my prison.  I saw Tenchi, giggling as a butterfly landed on
his nose, and flew off.  I giggled too, and he looked in my direction!  I
couldn't believe it, so I walked towards him and moved my finger in
different directions.  And to my surprise, he followed the same directions
of my finger.  He giggled at me, and from that day foward, I vowed to watch
over that little boy, no matter what.  Well as he grew older, he came by the
cave often to see me, until he lost the ability to see me. Well one day he
came to the cave and he was crying, I never felt so helpless. I couldn't
comfort him and before I knew it, I was crying with him. He had just lost
his mother, and that I knew the feeling of as well.  I never had a mother to
take care of me.  I was alone all my life.  Well years pass and one day he
managed to get the keys from his grandfather, and unlock what separated him
from me.  I saw this coming so I went to my real body, or what's left of it,
and started the healing process.  I wasn't exactly finished when he fell
into the chamber I was in.  Things didn't go as I had  planned either.  I
was trying to give him a small kiss, but that damn sword had to interfere,
and he did what any guy would do when they saw a 700 year old mummy, he ran.
   I found out that he didn't mean to hurt me, and that the sword had a mind
of it's own then.  I didn't know that then, and I had attacked Tenchi, and
blowing up his school in the process.  I didn't want to hurt him, since I
loved him, so  I just played with him.  Well he ended up winning and I just
disappeared to his house instead.  Well after all that started, we met
Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, and Washu, then later on we had Mayuka enter our
lives.  At first she was just a pawn for evil, but in the end Washu saved
her by bringing her back as the sweet little baby we grew to love.  I took
on the resposibility of raising her, and I will admit that I regret hating
her when Yazuha used her.  Sure she was used for evil, but hatred clouded my
judgement, and I just hated her, especially when she insisted on following
Tenchi into the baths.  But now I as I look onto her tiny face, I feel
differently.  I feel something that I never felt before, and as I sat there
rocking her one day, I finally found that feeling was maternal love.  I may
not have been the one have this little angel, but I felt like I did.
Nothing mattered to me anymore, she came first, like one time I had a major
head ache from something, and for once it was not sake, and she was crying
her lungs out.  My first thought was to get something for my head, but
Mayuka came first.  After I took care of her, she fell asleep, I passed out,
and slept till 6:00pm.  I thought it was worth it.
I don't know what to think of my new 'family', I just learned to except the
inevitable, and I had.  I am just waiting for whatever comes along, and I
will just have to except what happens.

     Washu read the entry out loud.  After she read that, everyone had at
least one tear run down their faces.  Mayuka had two.  One for some of the
sad parts, and the second for what Ryoko said about her.  Washu read
something on the same page.
Life can be funny
Especially when it's not
It just comes and goes
Day after day
But when I look at you
It doesn't matter anymore
I just close my eyes now
And think of you
It doesn't seem so pointless
Anymore

    Mayuka had another tear for that poem.  Washu composed herself for the
next entry.

March 20, 1999

        Why me?  Of all people, why the hell me?  I had to be kidnapped, by
Kagato.
  What's with him and that same old mind trick gig.  Everyone tried to stop
him, but he took me anyway.  I was part of his sick and twisted plot for
revenge, against MY Tenchi.  He had other people imprisoned for other
reasons.  One was a man by the name of Kraden Gordova, and the other was a
princess of a small planet, and she had the same attitude as Ayeka, except
on a snootier level. It made me wonder why didn't Kagato just kill her and
get it over with, since he didn't tolerate the high class princesses.  Her
name was Drizellia Santania.  Kagato injected something into my arm and gave
me that sinister grin.  I wanted to slap that grin off his face, but I
didn't.
How the hell did he live anyway?  I couldn't think as I felt myself  get
pushed out the door and onto the ground of some planet.  The other hostages
were with me, and sharing my look with the asshole.  He said that it was
only necessary, it was also to make our rescuers go mad on trying to locate
us.  I gave Kagato one of my coldest stares as he left.  Right then and
there, I wished the ship would crash, killing him in the process.  Damnit no
such luck.

Whenever it is here, but my guess is sometime early April, 1999

        With nothing else to do except wish a million poxes known to man, on
my
captor, and few on my princess companion,  I decided to find out about my
companions.  Kraden was a rogue soldier, who so just happens to have been
mistaken for a very important official,  Drizzly is the princess of the
planet Mundane, funny, the name describes her perfectly.  I found out that
she was just worser than Ayeka.  Actually I can't compare her to my rival
for Tenchi's affections.  Ayeka at least cared more than Drizzly.  I thought
about Tenchi, and Mayuka, then surprisingly, everyone else.  I wondered how
they were doing and if they were ok.  And if they were, would they save me?
I have these strange little sores on my skin.  They itch too, and there
isn't any other life form here except for vegetation, and us hostages.  I'm
writing on a piece of paper I had gotten from Sasami the day Kagato had
kidnapped me.  I was helping with inventory and I had the extra paper in my
pocket along with my pen. I have developed feelings for Kraden, who seems to
have feelings for Drizzelia, who seems to have feelings for herself.   I
found out that she wasn't as self centered as I thought.  She was only
covering up her conservative side.  She needed the belt to hold the
hand-made weapons she made, and she braided her hair because it helped her
keep up with the days.  I never felt so guilty.

Middle of April, 1999

        What's with these sores on my arm, they are getting larger, and they
burn/itch, I ache all over, and it feels like something is eating me up on
the inside.  After the pain passed, I went for a walk.  Kraden joined me
later on.  He knew I was hurting, emotionally and physically.  I miss
Tenchi, Mayuka, I don't believe it either, but Ayeka, Mihoshi, Sasami, and
Washu, my mother.  I never thought that I would admit Washu as my mother.  I
mean, she never was there for me.  She always hit on Tenchi, and used him
for one of her sick experiments.  And there was that time that she had tied
me up and left me hanging, naked, in the dark and cold air.  The next day
she passed it up as a joke.  I don't know what to think about the Zero
thing, yes she came for me, but did she really do it for me, or for her
rival?  I don't know about then, I'm not sure now.  It's hard to think when
these sores start burning you everytime you try to think.  Kraden and I
talked about life then love.  We stopped near a tree and stared at the
stars.  He finally spoke to me. "Was your mother a theif?"  I didn't know
what to think of that question but I answered
"I don't know. Why?"  he caressed my face.
"I believe that she had stole stars from the sky and placed them in your
eyes." I didn't know what to say
"Ryoko, have you ever been kissed?"   I thought about my past, my advances
towards Tenchi.
"No, I'm afraid I never experienced such a thing."  he kissed me.  I had
gone through all the emotions known, but could not find one such as this.  I
was thinking of Tenchi.  I bet Ayeka won him over by now.  I am sitting here
just thinking about that kiss.  I sense it was nothing, but my heart told me
to treasure it.  So I will.

        Washu had a few tears running down her face as she read what Ryoko
had said
about her.  She was never a good mother, but she loved her daughter more
than life itself.  She continued for Mayuka's sake. Poor girl, she doesn't
remember Ryoko too much, just a little bit though.   Washu skipped a few
notes that Ryoko jotted down and read the next entry.

Middle of May, 1999
        I know it has been awhile since my last entry, but paper runs short.
I
have not had a bath in two months, so I am beginning to stink, and these
sores are itchy.  They healed a little bit since I found a plant to medicate
them.  I wish I had Washu handy.  I don't know what is wrong with me, but
sometimes I'm ok, then I feel like shit the next minute.  My suspicions
about Kraden having feelings for Drizzellia, are correct.  She also shares
those feelings with him, and they are always together.  I have grown close
to the princess, and we talked sometimes.   One night Krayden came up to me
and tried to kiss me.  I saw the look Drizzellia gave me that said
'I know you love him, so go on, be happy.' she smiled sadly.  I felt low for
talking bad about her in the beginning, I feel low for being mean to Ayeka
in the past.  I never appologized to her either. Before he said anything, I
placed my finger on his lips.
"Do you love Drizellia?" I asked.  I couldn't love anyone who loved someone
else who loved him too.  He looked at the melancholy form of Drizellia, then
at me. He sighed
"Yes."  I kissed his forehead.
"Then go to her, I have put up with disappointment before, and I will
again."  funny, I have a feeling that I will rue those words, though I don't
know why.  He walked away from me to Drizellia.  He said something to her,
and then they kissed each other passionately.  I looked at them with a
smile.  Then I turned around with tears.  I missed my family, I miss Mayuka.
  She is the only light in my life, the only reason I push myself through
this hell called life.  She is my heaven,  I will always remember her smile
and how she would reach out to me from Tenchi's arms.  If Tenchi is not
mine, then Mayuka will always be, My Little Mayuka.

Mayuka sniffed but that was all.  Ayeka had tears flooding her face. "I too
am sorry Ryoko."
Washu sniffled and wiped her eyes and then continued.

June 12, 1999
        I was rescued, along with my new friends.  Princess Drizellia's
royal guard
had finally picked up on her.  They took Kraden and I to their planet not
too far from Earth's solar system.  I decided that I wanted to stay in one
of the Inns near the palace.  After I had collapsed,  Drizellia insisted
that I stay at the palace.  I did till I had regained my strength, then I
went home.  They said the sores were from the planet I was trapped on's
atmosphere, and that I was exhausted.   I still feel like crap though.  I
said my good bye's and appologized for not seeing wedding of the crowned
princess and a royal guard.  I arrived home in the middle of the night.
I woke everyone up by tripping over a sleeping Mihoshi.  They were all so
happy to see me, and they all hugged me fiercely.  I saw Tenchi approach me
with Mayuka.  I had took Mayuka in my arms, and I had held against me
sobbing in comeplete happiness.  Tenchi looked at me with an almost
sorrowful expression, so did Ayeka.  I was right, he has chosen.  I then
looked up and I saw Sakuya standing there behind Tenchi with love in her
eyes for him and Mayuka.
He didn't choose Ayeka.  I could have lived with him loving Ayeka, but I
wasn't prepared for Sakuya.  I sighed and rocked Mayuka in my arms,  I
thought I heard her say mama, but I dismissed it and handed her back to
Tenchi.  After I had done that, she turned around and reached out for me
crying out "Mama!" my maternal instinct kicked in and I grabbed the baby
from Tenchi hugging her more to me.  I shushed her and sung her the
American lullabye 'Hush Little Baby'  after I sang Mayuka asleep, I went
upstairs to put her in bed, I stood over her watching her sleep.  I looked
at my little piece of heaven before going back down to reality.  As soon as
I entered the room, I passed out.

        Washu knew what was coming up next she took a breath and continued.

June 13, 1999

        I remember saying something about having to deal with disappoint
before,
and I can do it again, then realizing that some day I will rue those words.
I woke up in Washu's lab.  She had all sorts of wires attached to me,
monitiering my heart beat, breath rate, and all my other systems.  I felt as
if a bus had hit me.  I stated that out loud, but Washu told me of course I
should, I had tumbled down the stairs after taking Mayuka to bed.  She told
me that when she was changing me into some pajamas that she notices some
sort of bodily secretion pouring out of the swelling of my exidermal tissue.
  Everyone else was down there, of course, to see if I was ok, and they all
gave her that 'Huh?' look
"She has puss pouring out of open sores of course!" Washu yelled and she
stated that she was looking into that at the moment.  I explained that was
what I planned on doing in the first place.
A few minutes later she thumped her keyboard saying "This can't be right,"
she shoo'ed everyone out of the lab while she worked on me.  She ended up
shooting me up with some sort of sedative, and I soon fell asleep.  I woke
up to see her looking down at me dismalfully.  I knew when she had that
look, whatever I had was not good.  I decided to cheer things up a little.
"Oh come on Washu, I'm sure whatever the problem is, it is not a problem for
the GREATEST SCIENTIFIC GENIUS IN THE UNIVERSE!" despite me feeling weak,
that was pretty strong.  She just smiled sadly.  I also realized that when
she smiled like that, she done everything that she could do, and failed.  I
still smiled at her and just casually asked
"So... uh... mom, what is it that is killing me, and how long do I have to
live?" She just smiled back at me.
"You are taking this awfully well. And you called me mom."
"I figured that with all the disappointments in my life, that this can just
be excepted.  There is no stopping it so why not enjoy what little of my
life that I have.  I mean, I did live 5,000 years+ didn't  I?"  Washu nodded
proudly.  She answered my earlier question
"It is a lethal and illegal virus that attacks your immune systems.  It is a
combination of lupus, cancer, and the Jurain cold. Did Kagato feed you
anything while you were imprisoned?"
"No, but before dumping me on that plant habited planet, he shot an
injection in my arm."
Washu banged the nightstand beside me. "Damn him.  He is using his little
last minute revenge method, by killing you, so we can take him on"  Washu
broke down into tears.
"How long do I have to live, Washu?"  I  insisted.  Washu sniffed':
"1 year."  I  nodded.
"I think we better tell the others." I suggested.
        Well they took the news hard.  I wanted to cry when I saw Tenchi
looking
down at Mayuka with sorrow.  I just remembered my little sunshine.  I
finally got back on Earth to be with her, but to find out that in one year,
I will be dead.  She was my reason to live, but I have no choice now.  I
refuse to cry because of some little virus.  All I did during my diagnosis
to the others, was wish a horrible death onto Kagato.

        Everyone read about how she felt when she was diagnosed with the
illness.
They admired her bravery, as they read through the journal, till they
arrived at the last two journal entries.

January 1, 2000

        As my body lost all it's powers, and it was deteriorating on the
inside,  I
spent the amount of strength I had in a day, playing with my Mayuka.  She
calls me mama and that thought alone gives me enough strength to play with
her.  She is 13 months old, and she is a hand full.  Sakuya left Tenchi,
since their relationship was falling apart, and Tenchi chose to be with
Ayeka.  I was happy for them, because I really don't care too much for
Sakuya.  I can't talk bad about her though, since she was nice, and took
care of Mayuka, I have to give her a lot of credit.  I had enough strength
to do something for New Years Day, and went to the movies with my
friends/family.  Mom and I are getting a long fine now.  Funny how these
last moments make you think about more important things.  I forgave her for
not being there for me when I needed her, and she forgave me for being
difficult.  Sasami is like the little sister I never had, while Ayeka is
like the same.  I appologized to Mihoshi, for calling her a ditz, and
incompetent, and bless her heart, she forgave me.  I thanked Yosho for
locking me up in that cave, after he asked why, I told him that I would
never had met Tenchi, Ayeka, Sasami, Mihoshi, Mom, and Mayuka.  I told
Nobiyuki that I was sorry for not being the one to marry Tenchi, but Ayeka
would make a good wife, and he agreed.  I never told Tenchi how I felt about
him.  I still blame Zero for that.  But I have to thank her, since she
brought me closer to this little rag-tag family.  I am still wishing for
Kagato to have a very unmerciful death.  We had a small visit by Jurai's
emperor, and his two empresses.  Ladies Misaki and Funaho showed a great
sorrow for me after hearing the news about my illness, and for their
concern, I am very greatful.  I looked down at a sleeping Mayuka, and
wondered 'What will she do without me?"  Knowing that I will soon be leaving
her here without me, so I made Ayeka promise to take good care of her.  I
just wish I could live long enough to watch her grow up.

January 29, 2000

        I think my system wants to quit on me a day early.  I am fighting
death
long enough to write my last entry.  Mayuka, you are my light, and my little
heaven, and I will always love you.
Mom, I love you more than words can say.  Ayeka and Sasami LYLS (Love Ya
Like Sisters) Tenchi, I don't what to say, but I have always loved you.  You
were everything dear to me, and you were my knight that would slay all the
dragons for those you love.  I just wish  I could tell you straight out.  I
love you all so much, and I will be watching all of you. If you feel down
think of me and you will be fine.  Right now I am losing strength, and if
you feel sad don't, it breaks my heart.  I just wish things weren't as tough
on you as were me. I feel my world closing around me so I better just end my
journal entry for one last time.  And in my nightstand, there is a recording
of the lullabye I used to sing to Mayuka.  It is in English but it's words
are  beautiful.  I believed in an old saying, that  you will have fond
memories of those you love in the after-life if you look at a photograph of
them before you die.  I am looking at our family picture,  I wanted my last
thoughts to be of you.

        Washu closed the journal then she let out a sob.  She finally
composed
herself and finished what happened afterwards.
"I found her later in bed holding our photograph to her heart.  She also had
a small smile on her face, I guess because that she knew she was going to be
resting peacefully, and that her last thought was us."  Mayuka grabbed the
book and was looking at all the pictures.  Some she had seen before and some
she hadn't.  She finally noticed six envelopes, but three had a red gem on
each one.  Mayuka handed them out to everyone, and she was one of the red
gem letters.  Tenchi and Washu had the other two.  Mayuka opened hers and a
white feather fell from the letter she was reading.

*To be continued*

Notes:  I didn't want to write a continuation, but I might have to.  I
didn't think that it would help with this one if I had wrote something
waaaaay out of the storyline, so I will write a sequel.  If you want to
flame me for killing off your favorite character and not have Tenchi choose
her, go ahead.  I hope this had brought out several of emotions, if not then
I will try to do better.  I didn't want to kill Ryoko off, but I wanted to
have something that will affect someone's emotions.  I know Ryoko is way OOC
but what would you do if you were injected with a deadly virus, and had only
one year to live?  Would you just be hating everything while there was
appologies to make, and past grudges to be forgotten?  Think about it, if
she was just going to bathe in contempt, and wasted her short life being
miserable, why not just enjoy the rest of her life with family, and friends?
  These are things that we, as fanfic writers should think about.  We have
to worry about reactions of the other characters. We have to worry about
sticking to the facts. We also have to worry about how that character feels,
and thinks, and so much more to worry about.  Well if you have any C&C
contact me at julieanne14_98@yahoo.com.  Please tell me what you think, and
I might finish the rest of it soon.  Thankyou.